Hands-On With the Apple Watch Series 12

The Apple Watch Series 12 came out today, and we picked one up to get a look at the new feature set. There are no major external changes, but Apple updated the device's internals and health sensors. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos.The Apple Watch Series 12 has the same design as the Series 11, but it does come in different colors. The aluminum models are available in a light gold shade that's distinct from the rose gold Apple used last year, as well as dark bronze, black, and space gray. There are also ceramic models in pearl white and night blue, and polished titanium models in radiant gold and natural. On the aluminum models, Apple is now using Ceramic Shield 2 instead of Ion-X glass, and the new material is 60 percent tougher. You might not be able to tell a Series 11 apart from a Series 12 when looking at the front, but the back has been updated. Apple says the upgraded sensors make the Apple Watch Series 12 the most accurate wearable for heart rate sensing. The Series 12 has a Health Sensing System that pairs the new sensors with an S11 chip that's faster than the S10 in the prior-generation model. It takes heart rate readings every five seconds now and measures heart rate variability as often as every five minutes. It's early, but so far we haven't seen the higher sampling rates cause excessive battery drain. The Apple Watch Series 12 is still rated for all-day battery life, and charging is faster this year. You can get up to 12 hours of normal usage from a 15-minute charge, but you need to use the Apple Watch charger that comes with the Series 12. Older chargers won't give you the faster charging rate. The Health Sensing System powers a readiness score that lets you know whether to go all-out on activity or take a rest day. It's based on metrics such as recent activity, vitals, and sleep, and will adjust as the day continues. It takes about a week of data collection from the Series 12 before you start getting a readiness score. The S11 chip will power Live Rewind and Siri Recap features, but those won't be available until later this year. Even though the Apple Watch hasn't seen a design refresh, the health features make this a decent update. You may not want to upgrade if you have the Series 10 or Series 11, but anything older is worth upgrading from. The Series 12 comes in 42mm and 46mm size options with pricing starting at $399. Popular StoriesApple Event Live Blog: iPhone Duo, iPhone 18 Pro, and MoreWednesday September 9, 2026 9:10 am PDT by Jordan GolsonApple's "Surprise and Shine" event kicks off today at 10:00 a.m. Pacific Time, where we're expecting to see the foldable iPhone Duo, the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max, Apple Watch Series 12 and Ultra 4 models, new AirPods 5 earphones, and perhaps some other announcements. Apple is providing a live video stream on its website, on YouTube, and in the company's TV app across various platforms. We...New Apple Watch Series 12 and Apple Watch Ultra 4 Features RevealedBloomberg's Mark Gurman today further outlined what to expect from the Apple Watch Series 12 and Apple Watch Ultra 4 set to be unveiled on September 9. While it was initially rumored that Touch ID may be coming to the Apple Watch this year, Gurman reiterated that he does not expect the Series 12 or Ultra 4 to have any major design changes compared to the current Series 11 and Ultra 3 models. ...Apple Event Today: iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone Duo Cheat SheetTuesday September 8, 2026 10:24 am PDT by Tim HardwickApple's biggest event of the year is almost here, and all eyes are on Cupertino. With the first foldable iPhone expected to headline Apple's "Surprise and Shine" event on Wednesday, September 9, at 10:00 a.m. Pacific Time, the rumor mill has been running full throttle, fuelled by the biggest single design change in the life of the iPhone. To get you up to speed, here's a quick reference...